Understanding women's desires for contraceptive counseling at the time of first-trimester surgical abortion

The objective was to investigate whether or not women presenting for a first-trimester surgical abortion want to discuss contraception on the day of their procedure.Between October 2012 and January 2013, an anonymous self-administered survey was distributed to women receiving first-trimester surgical abortions at four northern California family planning clinics. The survey obtained demographic information about each woman and inquired about her desire for contraceptive counseling during her appointment. Results were analyzed using both univariate and multivariable regression analyses to assess trends in responses related to desire for contraceptive counseling based on demographic and other variables.Of the 199 respondents, 64% reported that they did not want to talk to a counselor or doctor about contraception on the day of their abortion. About half of the women (52%) who did not want to discuss contraception indicated they already knew what they wanted for pregnancy prevention. Of the 25% who reported that they did want to discuss contraception, the most important topic desired from the counseling was identification of methods that were easier to use than what they used previously.The majority of women seeking first-trimester surgical abortion may not desire additional information about contraception on the day of the procedure.This study demonstrates that a significant proportion of women may not want contraceptive counseling on the day of a planned surgical abortion

Detecting Weak Spectral Lines in Interferometric Data through Matched Filtering

Modern radio interferometers enable observations of spectral lines with unprecedented spatial resolution and sensitivity. In spite of these technical advances, many lines of interest are still at best weakly detected and therefore necessitate detection and analysis techniques specialized for the low signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) regime. Matched filters can leverage knowledge of the source structure and kinematics to increase sensitivity of spectral line observations. Application of the filter in the native Fourier domain improves S/N while simultaneously avoiding the computational cost and ambiguities associated with imaging, making matched filtering a fast and robust method for weak spectral line detection. We demonstrate how an approximate matched filter can be constructed from a previously observed line or from a model of the source, and we show how this filter can be used to robustly infer a detection significance for weak spectral lines. When applied to ALMA Cycle 2 observations of CH3OH in the protoplanetary disk around TW Hya, the technique yields a ≈53% S/N boost over aperture-based spectral extraction methods, and we show that an even higher boost will be achieved for observations at higher spatial resolution. A Python-based open-source implementation of this technique is available under the MIT license at http://github.com/AstroChem/VISIBLE

Pulmonary arterial medial smooth muscle thickness in sudden infant death syndrome: an analysis of subsets of 73 cases

Previous studies addressing pulmonary artery morphology have compared cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) to controls but none have compared demographic profiles, exposure to potentially hypoxic risk factors and other pathologic variables in SIDS cases grouped according to pulmonary artery medial smooth muscle thickness. Aims: To compare the relative medial thickness (RMT) in alveolar wall arteries (AW) in SIDS cases with that in age-matched controls and 2. Compare demographic, clinical, and pathologic characteristics among three subsets of SIDS cases based upon alveolar wall (AW) RMT. Retrospective morphometric planimetry of all muscularized arteries in standardized right apical lung sections in 73 SIDS cases divided into three groups based on increasing AW RMT as well as 19 controls age-matched to 19 of the SIDS cases. SIDS and age-matched control cases did not differ with respect to AW RMT or other demographic variables. The SIDS group with the thickest AW RMT had significantly more males and premature birth than the other groups, but the groups did not differ for known clinical risk factors that would potentially expose them to hypoxia. Pathologic variables, including pulmonary inflammation, gastric aspiration, intra-alveolar siderophages, cardiac valve circumferences, and heart and liver weights, were not different between groups. Age was not significantly correlated with RMT of alveolar wall and pre-acinar arteries but was significant at p = .018 for small intra-acinar arteries. The groups were different for RMT of small pre-acinar and intra-acinar arteries, which increased with increasing AW RMT. Statistical differences should not necessarily be equated with clinical importance, however future research incorporating more quantified historical data is recommended

The Science Performance of JWST as Characterized in Commissioning

This paper characterizes the actual science performance of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), as determined from the six month commissioning period. We summarize the performance of the spacecraft, telescope, science instruments, and ground system, with an emphasis on differences from pre-launch expectations. Commissioning has made clear that JWST is fully capable of achieving the discoveries for which it was built. Moreover, almost across the board, the science performance of JWST is better than expected; in most cases, JWST will go deeper faster than expected. The telescope and instrument suite have demonstrated the sensitivity, stability, image quality, and spectral range that are necessary to transform our understanding of the cosmos through observations spanning from near-earth asteroids to the most distant galaxies.Comment: 5th version as accepted to PASP; 31 pages, 18 figures; https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1538-3873/acb29

The Science Performance of JWST as Characterized in Commissioning

This paper characterizes the actual science performance of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), as determined from the six month commissioning period. We summarize the performance of the spacecraft, telescope, science instruments, and ground system, with an emphasis on differences from pre-launch expectations. Commissioning has made clear that JWST is fully capable of achieving the discoveries for which it was built. Moreover, almost across the board, the science performance of JWST is better than expected; in most cases, JWST will go deeper faster than expected. The telescope and instrument suite have demonstrated the sensitivity, stability, image quality, and spectral range that are necessary to transform our understanding of the cosmos through observations spanning from near-earth asteroids to the most distant galaxies

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

Martinique: Culture, histoire et environnement en contexte pour la classe de français

This manual is a collection of pedagogical activities focused on Martinique that French teachers can use with their classes. It is based on dossiers pédagogiques produced in anticipation of the 2018 AATF Convention held in Martinique and covers topics including panoramas, interviews, and documentaries based primarily on videos

Intra‐arterial renal infusion of autologous mesenchymal stem cells for treatment of chronic kidney disease in cats: Phase I clinical trial

Abstract Background There are no known treatments that halt or reverse chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats. In rodent models, stem cell treatment has been associated with improvement in renal function parameters, especially when stem cells were delivered intra‐arterially to the kidney. To date, only IV and intrarenal stem cell infusions have been studied in cats with CKD with no clinically relevant improvement noted. Objective To assess the safety and feasibility of intra‐arterial delivery of autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in stromal vascular fraction (SVF) to the kidney in cats with CKD. Animals Five client‐owned domestic cats with International Renal Interest Society stage III CKD. Methods Prospective cohort study (phase I clinical trial). Adipose tissue was harvested from study animals on day 0. On days 2 and 14, an infusion of MSC in SVF was administered into the renal artery via the femoral or carotid artery using fluoroscopic guidance. Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen concentration, plasma iohexol clearance, and quality of life assessments were monitored between days 0 and 90. Results The procedure was performed successfully in all cats. No severe adverse events were observed in any cat during the study period. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Intra‐arterial infusion of MSC into the renal artery in CKD cats was feasible and safe within a 3‐month postoperative period. Efficacy and long‐term safety have yet to be established. This procedure requires careful technique and training

Effect of calcifediol supplementation on renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone system mediators in dogs with chronic kidney disease

BackgroundChronic kidney disease (CKD) leads to low serum concentrations of vitamin D metabolites. Thus, hypovitaminosis D associated with CKD might contribute to disease progression via increased concentration of renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) mediators.ObjectivesTo evaluate whether supplementation with calcifediol affects equilibrium concentrations of selected mediators of the RAAS. We hypothesized that vitamin D supplementation will decrease concentration of circulating RAAS mediators in dogs with CKD.AnimalsSix client-owned adult dogs with IRIS Stage 2 and 3 CKD.MethodsProspective study. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25[OH]2 D), 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (24,25[OH]2 D), RAAS mediators (angiotensin I/II/III/IV/1-5/1-7, and aldosterone), and surrogate angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity (calculated by the ratio of angiotensin II to angiotensin I) were evaluated at baseline, after 3 months of calcifediol supplementation, and 2 months after discontinuing administration of supplement.ResultsAll serum vitamin D metabolite concentrations increased significantly by month 3 (P < .001): 25(OH)D (median 250 ng/mL; range, 204-310), compared to baseline (median 43.2 ng/mL; range, 33.8-58.3 ng/mL); 1,25(OH)2 D (median 66.1 pg/mL; range, 57.3-88.1 pg/mL) compared to baseline (median 35.2 pg/mL; range, 29.3-56.7 pg/mL); 24,25(OH)2 D (median 68.4 ng/mL; range, 22.1-142.0 ng/mL) compared to baseline (median 14.4 ng/mL; range, 9.0-21.3 ng/mL). Calculated ACE activity was significantly lower at month 3 (median 0.5; range, 0.4-1.0) compared to baseline (median 0.7; range, 0.6-1.3; P = .01). There were no significant differences in any of the evaluated RAAS variables at any other time-point.Conclusions and clinical importanceShort-term calcifediol supplementation in this small group of CKD dogs appeared to decrease ACE activity